News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-12-08
HOW THEY DO THEIR WORK.
Strange Story told by a Spanish
Priest of San Juan.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.

FROM the San FRANCISCO ClfOnlcle.I
The Santa Cruz ghost, which is en-
crossing the attention of the citizens Of
that famous watering place by its
midnight revelries, recalls legend OF
San Juan, in the adjoining county, told
the writer many years ago by a narrator
no less creditable than a good old
| Spanish priest, with whom the writer
happened to be staying on a few days
visit.
One morning after breakfast L ex-
| pressed a wish to stroll into the ancient
graveyard attached to the old adobe
church of that quaint picturesque Mex
lean town. The old padre, with the
kindness and courtesy characteristic of
the simple missionary fathers, at once
acceded and accompanied the writer,
relating, as we walked along the graves,
the brief history of some who lay quiet
beneath. "Here," he observed, with a
quiet smile, as he pointed to grave
III the middle of the cemetery, ''here is
a grave which the simple old Mexican
families around here look upon with
unusual interest, if not with actual
ave."
ga murder2''
"No, no! Something much stronger.
1 have tried to combat the idea and
while would be addressing the people
they would say, Isl, 81, Padre They
would assent to all I said, but still the
belief remains, and it remains indel-
ible"
"a spirit, he began, sis said to have
appeared to everyone buried in that
grave and to warn the family whenever
oh 70
'Its appearance, which is said to be
made in the following manner is believed
to be uniformly fatal, being an omen of
death to those who are so unhappy as to
meet with it.
'When funeral takes place the
spirit is said to watch the person who
remains last in The graveyard, ovel
whom it possesses a fascinating infu-
ence.
''If the person be young man the
spirit takes the shape of a fascinating
female, inspires him with a charmed
passion, and exacts promise that he
Will meet her at the graveyard month
from that day. This promise is sealed
with kiss that communicates deadly
taint to him who complies.
''The spirit then disappears. No
sooner does the person from whom it re-
ceived the promise and the kiss pass the
boundary of the churchyard than he
remembers the history of the spectre.
He sinks into despair and insanity and
dies. If, on the contrary, the spectre |
appears to female, it assumes the form
OF young man of exceeding grace and
beauty
The padre showed me the grave of q
young person about eighteen years of
age, who was said four months before to
have fallen victim to it.
'"Ten months ago." the father said, a
man gave the promise and the fatal kiss,
and ndconsequently looked upon himself as
lost. He took fever and died, and
was buried on the day appointed for the
meeting.
'IncredibIe as it my appear, the
riends of these two persons solemnly
declared to me that the particulars of
he interview were repeatedly detailed
oy the two persons without the slightest
variation.
"There are several cases of the same
lind mentioned, but the two cases al
uded to are the only ones that have
,ome at present within my personal
'It appears however, that the spectre
loes not confne its operations to the
only. There have been in
stances mentioned of its appearance at
weddings and social parties, where it
never tailed to secure its victims
~ their dancing them into pleuritic
evers."
On being questioned as to what he
night think think of such occurrences,
he good priest simply smiled and shook
lis head.